Patent GB-1048379-A (GB)
Title: Process for treating napped fabrics and products thereof
IPC: D06M15/347
Filed: 1964-10-27
Abstract: A composition which is applied to napped fabrics as a mist or fog and then cured by heating, comprises a thermosetting resin, e.g. dimethylol ethylene urea, methylated methylol melamine, methylated dimethylol urea, dimethylol triazone and partially polymerized urea formaldehyde resin, and a thermoplastic resin, e.g. a vinyl ketone/styrene copolymer or a butadiene/styrene copolymer.  The composition may be an aqueous composition and may also contain a glycol, e.g. ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol or triethylene glycol, a formaldehyde acceptor, e.g. urea or dicyandiamide, a buffering agent to adjust the pH to 6.5-7, e.g. triethanolamine diethanolamine or tris-(hydroxymethyl)amino methane, and a catalyst, e.g. an amine hydrochloride, magnesium chloride and maleic acid.ALSO:Napped fabrics e.g. blankets, are given a high loft, permanent resilience, softness of hand and resistance to abrasion, pilling and shedding of the nap during use and laundering of the fabric by opening up the nap and maintaining the napped fibres in an upright position, applying to the napped fabric a mist or fog of a resinous composition containing a thermosetting resinuous component which impregnates the fibres to impart the desired resilience and soft hand and a thermoplastic resinuous component which coats the fibres and causes them to cohere so as to resist shedding and then drying and heating at a sufficiently high temperature to convert the resinuous composition into a permanent cured form.  The thermosetting resin may be dimethylol ethylene urea, methylated methylol melamine, methylated dimethylol urea, dimethylol triazone or partially polymerized urea formaldehyde resin and the thermoplastic resin may be a vinyl ketone/styrene copolymer or a butadiene/styrene copolymer. The composition may be applied as an aqueous composition which may also contain a glycol, e.g. ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol or triethylene glycol, a formaldehydr acceptor, e.g. urea or dicyandiamide, a buffering agent to adjust the pH to 6.5-7, e.g. triethanolamine, diethanolamine or tris(hydroxymethyl) amino methane, and a catalyst, e.g. an amine hydrochloride, magnesium chloride and maleic acid.  The fabric may be napped on a napping drum and the napped fabric fed over lead-in rolls covered with napping clothing to maintain the napped fibres in upright position and then fed on an endless conveyer member through a closed chemical treating chamber where it is treated with a fog or mist of the treating composition and finally passed through a heating chamber heated by a flow of hot air or by electrical heating units where it is dried and cured, e.g. at 330 DEG F.  The fabric treated may be a napped woven, non-woven or knitted fabric comprising cotton, viscose rayon or wool fibres or blends of cellulosic fibres with nylon or acrylic fibres.ALSO:Napped fabrics e.g. blankets, are given a high loft, permanent resilience, softness of hand and resistance to abrasion, pilling and shedding of the nap during use and laundering of the fabric by opening up the nap and maintaining the napped fibres in an upright position, applying to the napped fabric a mist or fog of a resinous composition containing a thermosetting resinous component which impregnates the fibres to impart the desired resilience and soft hand and a thermoplastic resinous component which coats the fibres and causes them to cohere so as to resist shedding and then drying and heating at a sufficiently high temperature to convert the resinous composition into a permanent cured form. The thermosetting resin may be dimethylol ethylene urea, methylated methylol melamine, methylated dimethylol urea, dimethylol triazone or partially polymerized urea formaldehyde resin and the thermoplastic resin may be a vinyl ketone/styrene copolymer of a butadiene/styrene copolymer.  The composition may be applied as an aqueous composition which may also contain a glycol, e.g. ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol or triethylene glycol, a formaldehyde acceptor, e.g. urea or dicyandiamide, a buffering agent to adjust the pH to 6.5-7, e.g. triethanolamine, diethanolamine or tris (hydroxymethyl) amino methane, and a catalyst, e.g. an amine hydrochloride, magnesium chloride and maleic acid.  The fabric may be napped on a napping drum and the napped fabric fed over lead-in rolls covered with napping clothing to maintain the napped fibres in upright position, and then fed on an endless conveyer member through a closed chemical treating chamber where it is treated with a fog or mist of the treating composition and finally passed through a heating chamber heated by a flow of hot air or by electrical heating units where it is dried and cured, e.g. at 330 DEG F.  The fabric treated may be a napped woven, non-woven or knitted fabric comprising cotton, viscose rayon or wool fibres or blends of cellulosic fibres with nylon or acrylic fibres.